The Seton Hall Pirates knocked off the Xavier Musketeers 88-70 on Wednesday night as they retained the fourth spot in the Big East standings ,while the Musketeers plummeted from fifth to seventh.
The game started off contentious as it was filled with physical play and travels. Al-Amir Dawes got the offense going early for the Pirates as they drained a pair of triples to open up the scoring. The senior guard was sharp all game as he went 6-12 from the field, including 4-6 from behind the arc.
Dre Davis started off strong for the Pirates as he was a perfect 3-3 from the floor with a pair of threes, before leaving the game due to injury. He tried to make a return to the game, but was unable to.
Mid-way through the opening half, Xavier's offense was beginning to respond as the Musketeers were able to get it down to14 points. However, it was their defense that let them down and as they couldn't stop the Pirates' offense. Seton Hall led 47-25 at the half with the Pirates shooting 54.8 % from the field.
Kachi Nzeh opened up the second half with a bang for the Musketeers as he had six straight points for them after the break. Kadary Richmond was able to stem Nzeh's run with a layup of his own and went on a run of his own as he either scored or assisted on Seton Hall's last four baskets before the first media timeout of the second half. He was fantastic on the night as he finished with a team-high 20 points and a career-high 13 assists. His 13 assists were one shy of tying coach Holloway for the program record for most assists in Big East play.
The game ended in an 88-70 victory for the Pirates as they continue Big East play. Their next match is in Queens, where the Pirates will take on St. John's, a rematch from January 15 when Seton Hall won 80-65 behind Dawes' 21 points.
- St. Rose clinches first state title in 45 Years after dominant win - March 9, 2024
- Don Bosco clinches State Title against Paul VI - March 9, 2024
- Morris Catholic Outlasts Rutgers Prep in Nail-Biting State Championship - March 8, 2024
